ANTI-CAESAREAN STEPS STIR CONCERN

Aggressive efforts to lower the number of Caesarean sections in the United States could lead to more injuries and deaths among mothers and babies, some obstetricians warn.

In an opinion piece in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, four doctors at Harvard teaching hospitals said pressure from HMOs and policymakers is leading some doctors to urge vaginal delivery on women even when the risks are higher than C-section risks.

The obstetricians said they are concerned about a rise in uterine ruptures, as well as injuries to babies caused by vacuum devices and forceps used during difficult labor.

The Food and Drug Administration recently reported a tiny but growing number of infant head injuries and deaths caused by vacuum devices.